My last head debate question: AFR 185s or Vic Jrs?

[N8Miller]

after chatting with a friend, he told me that for the price that i can get Vic Jrs at new (like $850ish), i would be foolish not to try them. now, i originally had my heart set on afr 185s, but this new intrest in these heads last got me torn. also, on the afrs, i would probably need the spring upgrade and the vic jrs, they handle up to a .650 lift cam (i have a .555/.565 right now).

please, let me hear what ya have to say.

 

[Grn92LX]

Like I told you man, victor jr hands down. Take the $600 you save over the spring upgraded afr 185's and buy a custom cam to get that combo ready to kick ass and run hard! I suggest you get in touch with Jay Allen for a cam. www.camshaftinnovations.com

 

[408stroker5.0]

Victor Jr's would be overkill for your engine... Plain & Simple. You need more cam more compression, more cubes would be nice etc. etc. The AFR 185's would outperform the Victor's on your engine as they would be more suitable for your application and combo. Go with the AFR's.

Shon

 

[Grn92LX]

I 100% disagree with you, 408

Talk to Jay or search on hardcore for some good info. Victor jr's will beat them with the right cam and he's paying over $600 LESS for them. Clear winner IMO

Mike

 

[408stroker5.0]

Victor's are a great head by all means Mike.... but even if N8miller goes and throw's a more radical cam in that 331 I'd still say the Victor's will be overkill.... there too much head for a mild 331. They will make power but his powerband will suck. With the higher lift/duration cam and high flowing head's the little 331 really isn't going to wake up until the 3500+ range, which kind of suck's on a street car. The AFR 185's will make AWESOME power and will provide him with a nice power band and a more responsive & streetable engine.

Bigger isn't alway's better.

 

[Rick 91GT]

Just subscribing....


There is alot more to springs then the manufactor advertised numbers, the numbers at the seat are pretty weak out of the box on a Vic Jr, with the right cam they can work but mot aggresive cams will need more spring.

Nate will your pistons accept a 2.05" intake valve?


Mike, you seem to be jumping around lately, Ed, Jay, 302 based, 351 based, street car, race car, etc...lol

 

[N8Miller]

Just subscribing....

c'mon rick, i was looking forward to your knowledge.

edit: rick, i have to call Keith Kraft in the morning to see what valve they can handle. right now, i am just going through a mental/money war with this topic.

 

[Rick 91GT]

c'mon rick, i was looking forward to your knowledge.

edit: rick, i have to call Keith Kraft in the morning to see what valve they can handle. right now, i am just going through a mental/money war with this topic.

Nope I'm just lurking in this thread, adding my $.02 every once in awhile.

Buy once and be happy, from what I know of your goal both heads can get you there with the correct supporting parts.

Well back out to the garage to build this AFR185 headed 331 for a customer.... I think as smooth as the spiral locks went tonight I could do them with my eyes closed, it's nice when something goes perfect.

 

[N8Miller]

Well back out to the garage to build this AFR185 headed 331 for a customer....

was that a hint?
could you also define "correct supporting parts"? you know what i wanna do and you know my goals..... dont get all bashful on me now.

 

[Grn92LX]

Mike, you seem to be jumping around lately, Ed, Jay, 302 based, 351 based, street car, race car, etc...lol

lol. From talking to jay, I know he likes working with 'big' parts. He has said many times that an afr head is and quote "worlds too small for a stroker" He was talking about a 347 in that post though. He did recommend the victors as a good head though. I have an ed cam now and my next custom will no doubt be one from Jay. I feel confident he can get me what I want more so than ed. I still say go with the victors (if he can fit the 2.05 valve) since he said he can get them for $850 when a spring upgraded afr 185 is gonna cost like $1500 bills. Thats a HUGE price gap

 

[Rick 91GT]

They really are not a direct comparrison

Vic Jr 210cc/75cc
AFR185 185cc/69cc

From what I know the AFR flow better out of the box, although flow numbers are just flow numbers.

They would be better put against a AFR205 205cc/70cc for a more equal test, however the AFR heads are substantially more money.

 

[408stroker5.0]

Consider this....
MM&FF Magazine quite a while back did a dyno test on a 393 Windsor Stroker equipped with AFR 185 heads. I cant remember the exact details, although I'm sure the cam was a Comp 288HR with lift in the area of .555 & .575. Compression was around 9.5:1+. I'm going to try and find the article but I remember them making a little over 500HP with a really nice powerband up to 6200RPM. All this with out of the box 185's. Now I've seen dyno test's on similar 393's with Victor Jr's on them and they just bairly reached the 500HP level and the torque numbers were fairly poor as well. Victor's are considered a "Race" head and like I said earlier really perform at higher RPM's. The Victor's showed that they belong on a fairly radical engine if you want to make some real power. Even on a street 393 like above they can be consider a little too much head as shown by the HP numbers and power band. Putting Victor's on N8Millers 331 would be simply put a mistake. Sure there cheaper but the 185's would make way more power even though there a smaller head....they are more suitable for the combo. If you were to phone Edelbrock and tell them you wanted to throw Victor's on your Street 331 they'd probably tell you your crazy. AFR make's an excellent head and you pay for what you get. I'm running 205's on my my 408 and I love them. The extra money spent was more then worth it.

Shon

 

[Grn92LX]

I highly disagree man. With the right cam, they would be awesome IMO. I just remembered, my friend is doing a 331 with a 4340 scat kit and he just bought a set of victor jr heads. He got them for like $800 I believe or maybe $850. He has all the parts, just nothing is put together or installed yet. He will be using the rpm 2 intake. Only thing about the victors is they dont have egr ports. At $600 less man, IMO the choice is clear.

I suggest you talk to Jay like I mentioned to get his insight rather than what we think.

 

[Rick 91GT]

With the proper cam, and supporting parts the Vic Jr's can work on the 331. I personally would like to see a little more compression and larger exhaust as well and make a little more power higher in the rpm band....

With the N2O on it will not matter any way, the larger intake ports will help a good bit.

Are the emissons a concern, not sure I know Nates car is only visually tested and you can make it look like it is all there. Will the Hyd roller springs take a large cam, I think the springs listed for the .650 lift are for solid rollers.

 

[donsbad68]

afr 185's......they are just plain bad.